One Crazy Summer: 02/05/13

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia covers the summer trip of Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonette and Fern to visit their mother in Oakland, California. Big Ma has declared it time for Cecile to act like a mother to her daughters, years after leaving them, if even for a few weeks in the summer.

Delphine (the oldest, and narrator) expects the California of television and movies — beaches, Disneyland and summer heat. She gets instead, Oakland — fog, hills and the beach is a long bus ride away. She also gets a distant mother, greasy food from the local Chinese takeout, and days spent at the Center — run by the local Black Panthers. It is nothing Delphine expected or wants. All she wants to do is take her sisters home.

One Crazy Summer is one of those books I'd like to see made part of the California curriculum. Although it's historical fiction, it touches on so many issues and themes that are still relevant. It's also a well crafted story with believable, positive characters.

The sequel, P.S. Be Eleven comes out later in 2013.

Five stars

Comments (4)

Comment #1: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 at 19:11:53

Pam

Is that a new cover?

Comment #2: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 at 18:30:31

Pussreboots

It is a new cover for the 2012 paperback edition.

Comment #3: Thursday, February 07, 2013 at 01:41:23

Lexxie

This sounds like a cute childrens book. Do you know if it has been translated to other languages?

and WOW - one book review per day? That is amazing.

Comment #4: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 at 23:17:11

Pussreboots

I checked WorldCat.org, GoodReads and TitleWave. As far as I can tell, the book hasn't been translated into other languages. The sequel is scheduled for release on May 21, 2013.

I prewrite my reviews when I have down time. That saves me the stress of having to write a review each time I want to post something. I even plan out my weeks thematically.